Convertible woman&#39;s hat



Nov. 12, 1940.

s. 1 STONE CONVERTIBLE WOMAN'S HAT Filed March 18, 19 39 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 12, 1940 CONVERTIBLE WOMANS HAT Sarah E. Stone, Short Hills, N. J.

Application March 18,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in convertible head coverings, and more particularly to a convertible hat or headdress for women which is adapted to be, changed into a variety of styles.

Convertible'head gear have been proposed for various special purposes, but so far as known, only a relatively few proposals have been made for making awomans hat blank which is convertible into a number of different styles.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved hat blank which may be readily formed into a number of substantially diff-erent hat styles for women.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved basic hat blank which can be readily adapted by the wearer to any of a relatively large number of style forms which are vfound suitable or desirable.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a versatile hat blank which is composed of simple elements and easily manufactured.

' Accordingly, the improved womens hat blank of the present invention comprises a hollow fabric structure having the general form of a tetrahedron formed from two generally oblong shaped pieces of material in the manner described hereinafter.

The invention also includes other objects, advantages and particularly other features relating to the structure and method of making the improved hat blank as will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following more detailed description thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention. In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of the improved hat blank of the present invention showing its general form and structure. v

Figure 2 is a view looking down on the hat 4 blank structure shown in Figure 1 showing all of the vertices of the blank.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 showing the blank with one of its free' vertices folded into the opposite free vertex.

Figure 4 is a front angle elevational view 'showing the blank in position on the head of the wearer, when formed into one of the'many hat styles capable'of being made from the improved blank of the present invention.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are views similar to that of Figure 4 illustrating the variety of hat styles into which the blank may be made.

In a preferred form of the invention as sho in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawing, the hat blank is shown as a substantially unitary structure, which may be made of any suitable fabric or other material, according to the desire of the wearer. In the extended or inflated portions shown in Figures 1 and 2, the blank has a definite tetrahedral shape and is symmetrical in form.

1939, Serial No. 262,623

The blank as shown in these figures of the drawing comprises two generally oblong substantially rectangular pieces of fabric 2 and 4 of the same size, but Preferably of different color or shade.

Each of the pieces 2 and 4 are generally oblong in shape and should measure from about 7 to 10 inches wide by about 26 to 30 inches long.

While these pieces may be rectangular, their ends are preferably cut back from corresponding-corners, on the bias, so that one side of each piece is about two inches shorter than the other side. The desired shape of the pieces 2 and 4 may be obtained from the rectangular shapes by folding them lengthwise and cutting all of the ends (on the bias) at one time. The triangular piece cut from each end by this procedure, will have a base of about one inch and a heighth or altitude of the width of the pieces 2 and 4.

The upper half of the blank (Fig. 2) is formed by folding the piece 2 lengthwise, in half, wrong side out, and stitching the shorter edges together from the fold to the end edge, the resulting seam being shown attand terminating in a vertex 1. The piece 2 is then turned right side out, and the same operations are repeated on piece 4, for the making of the'lower half of the blank, the seam being at 8 and terminating in a vertex 9. Now

, the two pieces 2 and 4 are sewed together by first sewing their longer sides together to make the seam 10 which. extends between vertices l2 and M, the seam it being made so that the raw edge is on the inside of the blank.

of the pieces 2 and 4 a hem width, and stitch them to each other to form the seam i6 extending between the vertices l2 and Hi. this stitching is done the end of a string I8 is inserted in each of the vertices l2 and [4, between the pieces 2 and 4, so that the ends of the strings are securely fastened into the blank. The strings 58. may be made respectively from the materials of the kind used for pieces 2 and 4, and they may be tubular or in tape form. The strings should be from 8 to [2 inches in length.

While the upper and lower portions of the blang (Fig. 2) have been described as being made from more-or less definitely shaped pieces of fabric or other material, it is apparent that the blank may be formed with or without the seams 6 and 8, .and with a seam extending from the vertices l and 9 to the center of the seam Ill. The pieces of At the time material 2 and 4 maybe made up of any desired shapes sewed together to give 'a particular effect. In any case, the upper and lower portions of the blank (Fig. 2), should be of substantially the same size and shape so-that either portion may be inserted into the other as illustrated for example in Figure 3, which shows the inflated blank of Figures 1 and 2 in a collapsed position, with the vertex 9 pushed into the vertex 1, so-

that the piece of material 4 Completely and accurately lines the inside of the piece of material 2 of the blank.

While the strings l8 are preferably attached to the body of the blank at the vertices l2 and I 4, they may be attached at a point near the vertices along the seams III or IE, and the vertices themselves may be made in a substantially rounded shape, if desired, so long as the functions of the blank are retained.

The hat blank described in connection with Figures 1 to 3 of the drawing may be formed into a number of different hat styles, as illustrated in Figures 4 to 7 of the drawing, in which the seams B and 8 are not shown. In all of these illustrations, the blank is arranged as in Figure 3, and either made into the desired style on the head of the wearer, or otherwise as desired.

Figure 4 shows the use of the strings H! to form a front bow in a position to expose some of the contrasting material 4, against the main body of the hat shown as of material 2. The position of the boundary seams I and I 6, and of vertex '1, are marked, so that the manner of forming this hat style is obvious.

Figure shows a hat style with a forward rosette formed of the contrasting material 4 against the main body of material 2. The rosette is formed by tucking in excess material pulled forward, turning a portion of the blank inside out in the region of the vertices l2 and I4, and gathering it in by means of the strings, which are tied around the material in back of the rosette. The petal-like elements of the rosette are pulled out farther and twisted into the desired shape after the strings have been tied.

Figure 6 shows a second use of the bow with a showing of the contrasting material 4 within a loop of the seam edge I6. A band is also formed around the lower portion of the hat by a simple fold.

Figure '7 shows a further use of the bow on a turban style which may be evolved from the style shown in Figure 4 by making the folds uniform,

. lowering the bow and tucking in the vertex 1.

The styles shown, as well as many others which are developed by the wearer, may be formed directly and at will by the wearer at the time the hat is worn, if desired, or once the preferred style is formed from the blank, the folds and other elements may be tacked in position with a needle and thread. As many as twelve distinct hat styles have been made from the blank, not taking into account the reversibility of the blank to give the body of the hat a different color. The blank may be reversed by forcing the exposed free vertex (1 or 9) into the opposite free vertex.

Those skilled in this art will recognize the fact that the size and dimensions of the blank may be varied in accordance with differences in head sizes. However, accurate sizing is not necessary in the present instance, because of the adjustability of the blank to the head of the wearer. Small, medium and large size blanks may be manufactured, but two sizes would seem to be sufficient.

The materials used in making the improved hat blank of the present invention may be practically anything desired, such as any fabric or material found suitable for the purpose. One half of the blank may be made of a waterproof material, or of some suitable fur, according to the desire of the wearer or manufacturer. Different colors or shades of material are however preferably used, at least for the upperand lower portions of the blank, as shown in Figure 2.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be apparent that the improved hat blank may be readily manufactured by machine cutting and sewing, and that various modifications may be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the claims. For example, the edge I 6 may be scalloped or cut and sewed in any other shape, and while strings are preferred for convenient handling of the blank, some other fastening may be employed to retain the vertices l2 and M in any desired position, such as those shown in Figures 4 to '7 of the drawing. The strings may be attached at any time during'the making of the blank. In the claims as well as in the specification, the term vertex is to be understood as applying to the positions 1, 9, l2 and I 4, event though they may be generally rounded in structure. The strings 18 are not to be understood as restricted to any particular width or length, since wider and longer strings than those shown may be used, and the strings may comprise a continuation of one or both of the materials 2 and 4 at the vertices l2 and I 4. When certain types of materials are used for the construction of the blank, it is unnecessary. to fasten the pieces 2 and 4 together along the edge [6, because these edges of the materials 2 and 4 will retain their shape and position by being fastened at the positions I2 and I4.

Having thus described the invention in its preferred form, what is claimed as new is:

1. The method of making 'a head covering, which comprises folding two pieces of generally oblong shaped material suitable for. making a head covering and of substantially the samesize and shape so that one of the longer edges of each piece is divided approximately in the middle and the folded edge portions brought together, sewing the said edge portions of each piece together to form a pocketed member of each piece of material, and sewing the remaining free edges of one of said pieces to the corresponding edges of the other piece of material.

2. The method of making a head covering, which comprises folding two pieces of generally oblong shaped material of different'appearance suitable for making a head covering and of substantially the same size and shape so that one of the longer edges of each piece is divided approximately in the middle and one edge portion is lapped exactly upon the other edge portion, sewing the lapped edge portions of each piece together from the fold to the lapped corners, and sewing the other longer edge of one piece to'the corresponding longer edge of the other piece of material.

3. In a head covering, a body of sheet material composed of two pieces of different appearing material each of generally oblong shape and of substantially the same size and shape, one long edge of one piece being fastened to a long edge of the other piece, the other long edge of each piece being folded approximately in the middle with the folded edge portions of each piece fastened together from the point of fold to the corners, and the ends of one piece being fastened to the corresponding ends of the other piece.

' SARAH E, STONE. 

